Why The Block Needs Mobile Apps

In case you're not from Australia, The Block is a reality tv show competition focused on flipping houses. The houses go up for auction. The couple with the highest profits wins a grand prize of A$100,000 (about $87,000 USD).

As Australia gears up for season 9, I couldn't help but wonder: Mobile apps can help competitors gain the advantage. Why? Mobile apps make it easy to assess what needs to happen, track expenses, and maintain safety

Know What You Need and Don't Need

On the Block, they start with totally bare houses (or in giant warehouse spaces). It seems obvious that everything needs to change. But what's visible to the naked eye doesn't include everything you may have to do.

You know it's a mess, but what you really need is an initial assessment (source)

An initial assessment will help you start on the right foot. From noting the electrical and water systems, to any mold or safety issues, you need to take a deeper look at your building. A thorough assessment will reveal the foundational strengths, and weaknesses.

Mobile apps make it easier to see and read this assessment. You can document issues with photos, and typing easy to read text ensures no miscommunication. With the data instantly available in the cloud, you can start creating your to do and to don't lists now, not days later.

Tracking Expenses

To keep your costs low, you have to start with knowing what your costs are. Looking after receipts and transcribing them into excel spreadsheets can cost you headaches and excessive use of time. When you're rushing to finish a house, do you have time to spend on data entry?

Do you have time to go through all of these? You don't have to anymore (looseid, source)

Mobile apps make it easy to track your expenses. Fill out the information of what you bought, the cost, and expense time. You enter it once and all the information is available in the cloud. Easily integrate this into your own databases with an xml or csv file.

Seeing your costs is the first step to knowing where you stand financially. It will help you pricing your house, and outmaneuver your competition. Then, you'll take home the grand prize.

Staying Safe

You can make the most beautiful house in the neighborhood, but if it doesn't stand upright, it won't last. Maintaining safety is another crucial fundamental to succeed in home renovation.

You don't need to be a safety inspector to ensure your renovation is up to code. There are great safety checklists for renovating homes, retails, or industrial spaces. With drop down lists and checkboxes, mobile apps will make your inspections faster. More than time, you'll save yourself from innocent mistakes that can cost you significant money.

A mobile app won't make your renovation project stylistically different. It will save you time on figuring out what needs to happen, how much your efforts cost, and how to stay safe. A mobile app won't help you win the room challenge. It will help you stay on budget, on task, and on the path to victory.